Friction coefficient value in joints in dependence on hialuronic acid concentration in lubricant

: The synovial joints are those parts of the body of humans and animals that enable its segments to move towards each other. The lubricant in the join is the synovial fluid, one of the main components of which is a natural biopolymer - hyaluronic acid. During the treatment of joint diseases, the aim is to reduce pain and reduce the resistance to movement arising as a result of increased friction in the joint. For this purpose, the preparation with hyaluronic acid (HA) is injected into the gap between the articular surfaces. Most often, HA is in the form of the sodium salt of the hyaluronic acid (HS). The concentration of HS in the preparations used in the treatment most often ranges from 1 to 3%. In our work, we investigated how the concentration of HS in the preparation reduces friction in the joint. The tests were performed for a friction pair: bovine articular cartilage - surgical stainless steel. Preparations with HS content from 1 to 2.5% were used as a lubricant for the tests. Based on the statistical analysis of the obtained results, it was found that lubrication with preparations with HS content up to 2% gives similar values of the friction coefficient. Its significant reduction was obtained for preparations with the concentration of HS 2% and higher.